Kenya now battlefront for Asian rivals in economic and territorial wars

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, yesterday. Nairobi is now the battleground for the scramble for Africa between China and Japan - two Asian arch-rivals in economic and territorial wars. (PHOTO: MAXWELL AGWANDA/ STANDARD)

Nairobi is now the battle-ground for the scramble for Africa between China and Japan - two Asian arch-rivals in economic and territorial wars.

Yesterday, a Japanese minister told the ongoing TICAD conference that his country is bringing high quality infrastructure to Africa, which is China’s biggest bilateral partner. Kenya is already emerging as a strategic entry point into Africa, a destination Japan chose to make a pitch for its firms as it hopes to check Chinese influence.